Christmas Miracle

Some years ago I had the privilege of working for a company that builds IVR speech applications for clients across a wide variety of industries, including travel, retail, and finance. That is, we provided that delightful experience you get when you call a company and speak to an automated system, rather than to a person. My responsibilities included working closely with clients, designing call flow experiences, partnering with developers to build speech applications, and leading the speech data science team to analyze and continually optimize user experiences.

One of my favorite clients was the Canadian airline WestJet. Our working relationship was smooth, their team was fun to work with, and they treated us well when we flew out to Calgary to visit them on business trips. I was also intrigued by their business practices. For instance, WestJet saves costs by operating a fleet of planes based on a limited range of aircraft. Every employee is a potential “owner”, thanks to a generous matching corporate plan. And, WestJet cares about its customers.

WestJet pulled off a remarkable Marketing stunt for Christmas 2013. A kiosk in the shape of a Christmas present was set up at the airports in Toronto and Hamilton, with which travelers on the two flights to Calgary were able to interact with Santa via a digital screen. Santa asked each person what they wanted for Christmas, and travelers obliged, sharing their wishes: a choo-choo train, an Android tablet, a warm scarf, a flight home for the holidays, a large TV, a diamond ring… Then, while the holiday travelers were on their flights, WestJet elves in Calgary scrambled to collect and package the items on the Christmas wishlist. Upon their arrival at the baggage claim, WestJet travelers were greeted by Santa and his elves, bearing the gifts that had been requested at the departure gates.

What a wonderful act of giving.

The YouTube video of the WestJet Christmas Miracle is about to hit 45 Million viewers. The cost of that scarf, those socks, that 50 inch TV, and even that diamond ring are all airline peanuts now, compared to the number of impressions and overall virality that this marketing campaign has generated. The Christmas Miracle has paid for itself many times over.

A quick read, I found this book to be informative and grounding. It’s a pitch for leadership based on truth and trust. It’s an encouragement to seek your Area Of Destiny. It’s a refresher, a reminder, and a reinforcer of good practices and healthy perspective for every professional.